This review needs to be couched by the fact that I didn't actually READ this book. I listened to it. I've never really done this before so have no experience with how my absorption method did or did not affect my appreciation for it. I will say, though, that this is one of my favorite books in a long time.
Now to see if I can explain why. "The Circle" is a Company, a futuristic combo platter of social media as we know it--think Google, Facebook, Twitter all further expanded and housed under the same roof. The company's story, culture and ideas are told through the eyes of twenty-something Mae, their newest employee. Among thousands of other "Circlers," Mae's perspective slowly reveals The Circle's principle values: Privacy is Theft and Secrets Are Lies. The Company's ideas get more and more ridiculous as we go on, yet at the same time more and more believable, both to Mae and to the readers. To us, it's a bit cultish and freaky but you can also understand how Mae gets pulled deeper and deeper into this crazy reality, rapidly losing her footing in any other aspect of life.
Toward the middle of the book she "goes transparent," wearing a high-end tiny camera that feeds EVERY aspect of what she sees to her millions of "watchers." Nearly all of the world's politicians do this as well, taking their watchers into every meeting, every conversation and every vote. The camera never turns off. Soon,"transparency" is the new normal. Getting a Circle membership is required, getting your child microchipped is required, all voting happens through your Circle membership and all votes are made public. EVERYTHING is public, nothing is ever erased and everything and everyone is perpetually accessible...all in the name of safety and access. After all, privacy is theft and secrets are lies.
The world itself is intriguing and a little scary. I found myself wary of Facebook and in my typical fashion, allowed myself to be CERTAIN that this is the way the apocalypse would go down. Anyway, in addition to the great world-building, there are some fantastic characters, superb writing and fascinating little subtleties that all wrap up into a really spectacular package. Highly recommend!
